Legal Expertise

Crime and regulatory crime overview

Patrick is regularly instructed to act for private individuals and companies in high profile and complex criminal and regulatory cases, including those with an international dimension. His practice encompasses fraud, money laundering, bribery, corruption, and misconduct in public office, as well as compute misuse, hacking and data protection offences.

Recent and current instructions include:

Acting for the first defendant in the SFO’s Unaoil corruption/bribery prosecution alleging corruption of Iraqi government ministers and others to secure oil contracts in the aftermath of Saddam Husein’s rule;

Acting for the defence in the £245m HBOS corruption and fraudulent trading prosecution;

Acting for a high profile UK corporation in one of the largest ever criminal regulatory prosecutions, engaging complex issues of EU/public law;

Acting for the defence in each of the three criminal strands of the News International litigation: (i) phone hacking at NOTW, as part of Operation Weeting (RIPA); (ii) payments to public officials on behalf of The Sun’s Chief Reporter, and Chief Foreign Correspondent, as part of Operation Elveden (misconduct in public office); and (iii) accessing a Member of Parliament’s stolen mobile phone, as part of Operation Tuleta;

Acting for the defence in prosecution of computer hacking of Gordon Ramsay (CMA);

Acting for the Electoral Commission in an appeal brought by Leave.EU against alleged regulatory breaches of electoral law (PPERA), arising from the EU Referendum; and in an appeal brought by Vote Leave;

Acting for the first defendant in the £14m Hatton Garden jewellery burglary;

Acting for the the subject/respondent of one of the first ‘Unexplained Wealth Order (UWO)’ cases;

Acting for the defence in a Private Prosecution alleging perverting the course of justice;

Advising on a prospective Private Prosecution for perverting the course of justice, perjury, theft, DPA and CMA offences, and on contempt arising from civil proceedings;

Acting for the publicist Max Clifford in historic sexual offences, as part of Operation Yewtree;

Acting for a Roman Catholic priest in historic sexual offences;

Acting for the defence in supply of drugs case into London prisons including by LPP correspondence and drone;

Advising a company in arbitration proceedings in relation to criminal fraud allegations.

Patrick is regularly instructed pre-charge to advise private individuals, regulated professionals, and companies in relation to the legality of investigative powers exercised by a range of agencies (arrest, search, seizure, s.2 notices, production orders etc.); in relation to potential criminal, civil, and public law challenges and remedies; and in relation to representations in relation to charge, where he has frequently acted for high profile individuals whose cases have not resulted in charge.

He is currently instructed on behalf of a Russian businessperson in a series of judicial reviews (and related challenges) to account freezing orders (AFOs), forfeiture, production orders (POs), and restraint. He also advises in relation to SOCPA agreements and related overseas agreements (including NPAs).

Notable Crime and regulatory crime cases

R v Basil Al Jarah & Others (Unaoil) (2018-2020)

Allegation of conspiracy to bribe/corrupt Iraqi government ministers and others connected to the reconstruction of the Iraqi oil industry in the years following the overthrow of Saddam Hussein in 2003. Led by Alexander Cameron QC.

Private Prosecution v Xand Y

2020, Wood Green Crown Court
Representing two defendants alleged to have perverted the course of justice. Led by Clare Montgomery QC and Tim Owen QC.

Agency v X Corporation (2018-2020), Southwark Crown Court

Representing high-profile UK corporation in one of the largest ever international criminal regulatory prosecutions, engaging complex issues of EU/public law. Led by Christopher Daw QC, and with Thomas de la Mare QC and Fraser Campbell.

Leave.EU v Electoral Commission (2019)

Acting for the Electoral Commission in an appeal brought by Leave.EU against alleged breaches of electoral law (PPERA), arising from the EU Referendum. Led by Hugo Keith QC.

R v John Kay & Others (Operation Elveden) (2014-2015), Criminal Court

Represented the first defendant John Kay, The Sun's Chief Reporter. Allegation of conspiracy to commit misconduct in public office by paying a Ministry of Defence official £100,000. Led by Trevor Burke QC.

Acting for contemnor in purge proceedings in Solicitors from Hell case;

Acting for Sven-Goran Eriksson’s IFA in civil contempt proceedings in the Chancery Division of the High Court;

Notable Contempt law cases

Gennadiy Bogolyubov v Viktor Pinchuk (2015)

Represented Gennadiy Bogolyubov. Application for permission to bring committal proceedings for contempt of court against Viktor Pinchuk, the claimant in a $2 billion Commercial Court action. Led by James Lewis QC.

Daniel Beach v QRS (2015)

Represented "Solicitors from hell" Daniel Beach. Application to discharge contempt (“purge”) following committal for 16 breaches of court orders directed at preventing harassment of a firm of solicitors. Junior alone.

Extradition, international, immigration, EU & asylum law overview

Patrick is experienced in extradition, international law, and immigration. He acts on behalf of requesting states and requested persons in extradition cases, and advises on cross-border evidence gathering, mutual legal assistance, Interpol red notices, and the repatriation of prisoners. Patrick is also experienced in EU and asylum law, and the interplay with criminal law, and sanctions.

Recent and current instructions include:

Advising on challenges to an Interpol red notice arising from a politically-motivated prosecution;

Acting in judicial review claim in relation to the Secretary of State’s decision to deport;

Acting in relation to immigration, EU, and human rights appeals brought in the First-tier Tribunal (Immigration and Asylum Chamber);

Acting pro bono in applications for delisting to (i) the European Commission, and (ii) the United Nations Security Council (application for removal from the UN Al-Qaida sanctions list established under Security Council Resolution 1267 (1999) for Tunisian citizens resident in Italy);

Advising pro bono in a sanctions case for Reprieve;

Assisting in the drafting of observations on behalf of Abu Hamza before the European Court of Human Rights;

In re D, T & A (2012-2013)

Represented individuals on the UN Security Council Al-Qaida sanctions list in delisting applications before the UN Ombudsperson. Instructed by the European Centre for Constitutional and Human Rights. With Rachel Barnes.

Dhar v National Office of the Public Prosecution Service the Netherlands [2012] EWHC 697 (Admin)

Mustafa (aka Abu Hamza) v United Kingdom (2010)

Public law, inquests and inquiries overview

Patrick has extensive inquest and investigation/inquiry experience:

Between 2015 and 2017, against the backdrop of judicial review of IPCC and HMCPSI reports, and a contentious civil claim, Patrick was instructed as sole junior counsel led by Richard Horwell QC in the independent Mouncher Investigation established by the Home Secretary to examine the circumstances in which a trial of 13 police officers collapsed on disclosure grounds (the officers were alleged to have perverted the course of justice in the investigation into the murder of Lynette White in the 1980s which led to the prosecution of the “Cardiff Five” and the Court of Appeal judgment in R v Paris) (R v Mouncher & Others);

He has appeared in numerous inquests, acting for witnesses, families and other IPs. He has recently acted for the family following a death in hospital; for a school following a death of an excluded pupil, and for the MPS in the inquest into the death of a man who went missing from extra care housing (Leocardo Loney).

Before coming to the Bar, Patrick was employed in the legal department of the civil liberties and human rights organisation, Liberty, where he advised on all aspects of the HRA and on matters concerning data protection and privacy, employment, inquests, discrimination, prisons, police powers, and peaceful protest. He also worked on the Bloody Sunday Inquiry for which he obtained “developed vetting” (“DV”) security clearance. During pupillage, he gained experience of inquests and public inquiries, including in particular: deaths in custody; the Baha Mousa Inquiry; and the inquest into the death of Ian Tomlinson.

Patrick is also experienced in judicial review claims, including those arising in the context of search warrants and the exercise of investigative powers (he was instructed for the SFO in Tchenguiz v SFO, and has acted for ENRC); interference with prisoners’ correspondence; immigration (deportation orders); and categorisation and allocation of prisoners in the context of changes of gender under the Gender Recognition Act 2004. Patrick is currently instructed on behalf of a Russian businessperson in a series of judicial reviews (and related challenges) to account freezing orders (AFOs), forfeiture, production orders (POs), and restraint.

Notable Public law, inquests and inquiries cases

Mouncher Investigation (2015-2017)

Investigation established by Home Secretary to examine collapse of trial of 13 police officers who in the 1980s had investigated the notorious murder of Lynette White which led to the prosecution of the “Cardiff Five”. Led by Richard Horwell QC.

Leocarado Loney Inquest (2019)

Represented MPS in an Article 2 inquest into the death of an 82-year-old man with dementia who had gone missing from extra care housing where he had lived.

Inquest into the death of X (2019)

Represented a well-known school in an inquest into the death of an excluded pupil.

Inquest into the death of Y (2019)

Represented the family at an inquest into the death of a woman following admission to hospital.

Licensing overview

Patrick has experience of advising and appearing in licensing matters on appeal in the Magistrates’ Courts, and in the field of regulatory enforcement including food safety and hygiene, fire safety, and taxi licensing.

Regulatory

Leave.EU v Electoral Commission
2019, Central London County Court
Acted for the Electoral Commission in an appeal brought by Leave.EU against alleged breaches of electoral law, arising from the EU Referendum. Led by Hugo Keith QC.

Vote Leave v Electoral Commission
2019, Central London County Court
Acted for the Electoral Commission in an appeal brought by Leave.EU against alleged breaches of electoral law, arising from the EU Referendum. Led by James Eadie QC.

Bribery, Corruption & Misconduct in Public Office

R v Basil Al Jarah & Others (Unaoil)
2018-2020, Southwark Crown Court
Allegation of conspiracy to bribe/corrupt Iraqi government ministers and others connected to the reconstruction of the Iraqi oil industry in the years following the overthrow of Saddam Hussein in 2003. Led by Alexander Cameron QC.

R v John Kay & Others (Operation Elveden)
2014-2015, Central Criminal Court
Represented the first defendant John Kay, The Sun’s Chief Reporter. Allegation of conspiracy to commit misconduct in public office by paying a Ministry of Defence official £100,000. Led by Trevor Burke QC.

Murder

R v K
2017, Nottingham Crown Court
Represented sole defendant in a case involving complex psychiatric and expert evidence, including in relation to the impact of PTSD on formation of specific intent. Led by Michael Borrelli QC.

Investigations / Inquiries

Leocardo Loney Inquest
2019
Represented MPS in an Article 2 inquest into the death of an 82-year-old man with dementia who had gone missing from extra care housing where he had lived.

Mouncher Inquiry
2015-2017, “QC-led inquiry” led by Richard Horwell QC
Investigation established by Home Secretary to examine collapse of trial of 13 police officers who in the 1980s had investigated the notorious murder of Lynette White which led to the prosecution of the “Cardiff Five”.

Extradition / International

In re D, T & A
2012-2013, UN Ombudsperson
Represented individuals on the UN Security Council Al-Qaida sanctions list in delisting applications before the UN Ombudsperson. Instructed by the European Centre for Constitutional and Human Rights. With Rachel Barnes.

Dhar v National Office of the Public Prosecution Service the Netherlands
[2012] EWHC 697 (Admin)
Appeal against extradition order. Led by Simon Farrell QC.

I, Patrick Hill, am a data controller and can be contacted at 3 Raymond Buildings, Gray’s Inn, London WC1R 5BH or by telephone on 020 7400 6400 or by email at patrick.hill@3rblaw.com. My Data Protection Policy can be found below.

All personal data that I process is for the purposes of providing legal services, conducting conflict-checks, marketing, defending potential complaints, legal proceedings or fee disputes, keeping anti-money laundering records, training other barristers and pupils and when providing work-shadowing opportunities, and/or exercising a right to a lien. The types of data I process vary upon the nature of the legal matter in relation to which I am engaged to advise, but can include names, contact details, biographic details and ‘special category personal data’ (such as details of racial or ethnic origin, political opinions, religious or philosophical beliefs, health, sex life and criminal convictions and proceedings).

Depending upon the circumstances of the case, the legal bases upon which I process personal data are (i) the performance of a contract to which the data subject is a party or in order to take steps at the request of the data subject prior to entering into a contract, (ii) the processing is necessary to comply with legal obligations to which I am subject, or (iii) the processing is necessary for the legitimate interests set out above, except where such interests are overridden by the interests or fundamental rights and freedoms of the data subjects which require protection of personal data, in particular where the data subject is a child. When I rely on (iii) legitimate interests, my ‘Legitimate Interests Assessment’ can be found here. When I process data which has not be obtained directly from the data subject (e.g. personal data contained in evidential materials), it will have been supplied to me as part of my instructions in circumstances covered by legal professional privilege.

Depending upon the circumstances of the case, I may share the personal data with:

my Chambers, which supplies professional and administrative support to my practice;

Courts and other tribunals to whom documents are presented;

my lay and professional clients;

potential witnesses, in particular experts, and friends or family of the data subject;

I retain personal data for no longer than 15 years after the case has come to an end or as otherwise required by law.

I do not intend to transfer data to any country which is not either within the European Union, ‘white listed’ by the EU or otherwise permitted by EU law (e.g. to the USA under the provisions of the ‘Privacy Shield’).

Under the GDPR, data subjects whose personal data I process have the right to request from me access to, and rectification or erasure of, their personal data, the right to the restriction of processing concerning them, the right to object to processing as well as the right to data portability. Data subjects also have the right to lodge a complaint with the Information Commissioner’s Office (ico.org.uk).

In cases where there is a contract between me and the data subject, the provision of personal data is a contractual requirement and the data subject is obliged to provide the personal data in order that I can supply legal services. A failure to provide such data may mean that I will not be able to provide the legal services.

Patrick Hill is qualified to accept instructions direct from clients under the Bar Council’s Public Access Scheme. This means that members of the public who seek specialist advice can come direct to him. In addition, he welcomes instructions from solicitors, in-house law departments, qualified foreign lawyers, and clients licensed by the Bar Council to give instructions direct to barristers under the Bar Council’s Licensed Access Scheme.